Minoan Charging Bull
by Weston Westmoreland
Title
Minoan Charging Bull
Artist
Weston Westmoreland
Medium
Photograph - Photograph
Description
Minoan Bull Relief Fresco, Knossos Palace, Crete, 1600 BC.
This charging bull head fresco was found on the West bastion of the North Entrance Passage (where one can see a copy nowadays) of the palace at Knossos in Crete.
Bull is thought to have been central to the religious iconography of the Minoan civilization. As in other Mediterranean civilizations, the bull was venerated and worshiped. The Bull is a widespread symbol in the art and decoration at the palace of Knossos.
This fresco was created no earlier than 1600 BC. The flakes of the destroyed panels fell to the ground from the upper story during the destruction of the palace, probably by earthquake.
The Minoan civilization was a Bronze Age Aegean civilization on the island of Crete and other Aegean Islands, flourishing from c. 2700 to c. 1450 BC until a late period of decline, finally ending around 1100 BC.
It represents the first advanced civilization in Europe, leaving behind massive building complexes, tools, stunning artwork, writing systems, and a massive network of trade. The name "Minoan" derives from the mythical King Minos and the identification of the site at Knossos with the labyrinth and the Minotaur.
The Minoan civilization is particularly notable for its large and elaborate palaces up to four stories high, featuring elaborate plumbing systems and decorated with frescoes. The Minoan period saw extensive trade between Crete, Aegean, and Mediterranean settlements, particularly the Near East. Through their traders and artists, the Minoans' cultural influence reached beyond Crete to the Cyclades, Egypt, copper-bearing Cyprus, Canaan and the Levantine coast and Anatolia. Some of the best Minoan art is preserved in the city of Akrotiri on the island of Santorini, which was destroyed by the Minoan eruption.
The Minoans primarily wrote in the undeciphered Linear A and also in undeciphered Cretan hieroglyphs. The reasons for the slow decline of the Minoan civilization, beginning around 1550 BC, are unclear, including Mycenaean invasions from mainland Greece and the major volcanic eruption of Santorini.
More amazing images from Ancient Civilizations one copy-paste away at https://weston-westmoreland.pixels.com/collections/ancient+civilizations
Weston Westmoreland
Uploaded
April 14th, 2020
Statistics
Viewed 175 Times - Last Visitor from New York, NY on 04/21/2024 at 11:51 PM
Embed
Share
Sales Sheet